Disgraceful Pete Hegseth insults UK veterans branding them 'burden' in Afghanistan after Trump comments
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His comments follow earlier insulting remarks by US President Donald Trump
Andy Burnham’s Downing Street hit back at US defence secretary Pete Hegseth after he belittled the efforts of America’s coalition allies during the Afghanistan war.
Number 10 said Mr Hegseth was “wrong” to diminish the role played by international forces in a conflict which cost the lives of 457 UK personnel. It is the latest sign of strained transatlantic relations after a split between Donald Trump’s administration and Western allies over the Ukraine war.
Responding to Mr Hegseth’s comments, the Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: “Frankly, the facts speak for themselves when it comes to the UK’s and Nato’s contribution to Afghanistan, thousands of British and allied families made huge sacrifices to play their significant parts in that war and uphold our values.
“And more than 450 British personnel never returned. Their sacrifice and that of other Nato forces was made in the service of collective security and in response to an attack on our ally. We are incredibly proud of our armed forces and their service and sacrifice will never be forgotten, and it is wrong to diminish their role.”
In a speech on Saturday Mr Hegseth said: “I was a captain in Afghanistan and we would go to the headquarters in Kabul and there would be 50 flags at the headquarters. It was a beautiful thing to see, 50 different countries contributing to the Nato alliance and the ISAF (International Security Assistance Force) mission there.
“Except there were maybe five that contributed, it was actually closer to one or two that by the end were actually involved in kinetic operations. In fact the patch ‘ISAF’, we joked it meant ‘I Saw Americans Fighting’. Which is sort of a joke but it’s demoralising when you feel like it’s not burden sharing, it’s actually a burden.”
It is not the first time the UK has clashed with the Trump administration over the Afghan conflict, which came after Nato’s Article 5 mutual defence provision was triggered for the first time in the wake of the September 11 attacks on the US.
US president Mr Trump’s suggestion Nato allied troops “stayed a little off the front lines” in Afghanistan resulted in a furious backlash across the alliance, with then prime minister Sir Keir Starmer describing the comments as “insulting and frankly appalling” .
Meanwhile Mr Trump’s decision to import diesel from Russia and his suggestion Volodymyr Zelensky should be replaced as Ukraine’s leader have contributed to another low point in relations between Washington and European capitals.
The prime minister’s spokesman said: “Russia should be in no doubt about the resolve of this government to stand against Russian aggression in Ukraine and against the UK and our allies. And we stand shoulder to shoulder with Ukraine in its fight against Russian aggression and to defend itself against Russian attacks.”
In the Commons Defence Secretary Wes Streeting said Ukraine needed to be involved in any discussions about its future. Mr Streeting was responding to a question by Liberal Democrat MP for West Dorset Edward Morello about a proposed meeting between China, Russia and the US to decide Kyiv’s future.
Mr Streeting said: “We support the diplomatic track that is being promoted by the Americans with a view to bring together the Ukrainians and negotiators from Russia to bring an end to this war. Our position is clear and was relayed directly by me in Washington last week.
“There can be no decision about the Ukrainians without the Ukrainians, that peace has to be acceptable to them, and that we will back Ukraine to the hilt.”